No Sex In the City.
According to Forbes.com, Charlotte ranks 25th in the top 40 metropolitan cities for singles. As a member of the endangered single species, I disagree with such a high spot. Some further investigation on the topic is needed. First, I looked at the kind of data they used to conduct their research. The factors included cost of living alone, job growth, and number of other singles. They must have tallied all non-married Charlotteans as singles. Let's not negate the large population in committed relationships, or worse, those committed who claim not to be. Forbes also looked at culture, online dating and "coolness." Coolness? Well, at least Charlotte has that down.
I don't know about eHarmony and Match.com users, but I can attest that Charlotte does have a lively dating service community, including the Kesher group for Jewish singles, Lets Meet for Coffee for caffeine lovers, Charlotte Matchmaker Tennis, Speed Dating, and Events and Adventures where dating is an extreme sport. Even Kiss 95.1 has a singles hot line. But most importantly, Forbes looked at nightlife as a factor for single life.
What's your taste? Pick your flavor.
Looking for ballers, go to the Sunset Club. Bikers, go to Quaker Steak and Lube; bakers, go to Mellow Mushroom; bankers -- anywhere in uptown. And, according to my married and committed friends, Therapy is where to go if you no longer want to be single. There are plenty of places to meet singles, and plenty of places to go out after meeting. One being Boardwalk at University -- you have a quixotic pond setting with venues like Boardwalk Billy's, Lava, Sushi 101, Mojo Bay, Soho East, and the Wine Vault. Sure, there are tons of single (or at least non-married) people in Charlotte, but single people who are worthy of dating don't exactly come in bulk. Even if you're from Denver (North Carolina that is), which is allegedly the number one singles section of Charlotte.
But one conclusion of my research is that Charlotte definitely belongs in the top 40 cities for nightlife. The evidence: just two weekends ago we had the option of DJ AM at Forum, Charlotte Shout, the Latin American Festival at the Mint Museum, Elevate's 3rd Anniversary Party, Rakim and Kid Capri at Amos', and Oktoberfest.
What's your taste? Pick your flavor ... Of Beer
I followed the masses and went to the Oktoberfest Beer Festival. Charlotte welcomed October on the last Saturday of September at Memorial Stadium, and by Charlotte, I mean most of Charlotte because it was sold out like a Panthers game.
It was like each different nightlife scene throughout the city joined forces on the stadium field. Even the National Multiple Sclerosis Society was there, along with older folks partying like they did at Woodstock; it was like the Red Hats Club all came out to get drunk. And by the end of the day it was like Woodstock: people were passed out in the grass after hours of binge drinking in the "bier garden" and drunk dancing to the band. There were so many breweries and different types of beers and wine, they needed to print a program. And the line at each beer tent was so long you would think there was a roller coaster at the end of it.
They had the basic bar games: foosball, corn hole toss, ping-pong, and an edited version of beer pong. And there was a chess master battling up to 10 people at a time. I spent most of my day in the end zone video game tent where I watched my Virginia Tech Hokies lose to Georgia Tech. Good thing I had fruit beer and blueberry wine easily accessible to ease the pain.
Psssstttt ... If you have any dirt or inside scoop on nightlife, shoot me an e-mail at brittney.cason@creativeloafing.com.